LATE NEWS

Published on March 02, 1998.

Lauren readies $20 mil fall women's scent intro

boca raton, fla.] Cosmair's Ralph Lauren fragrance unit is planning a $20 million-plus fall launch of a new women's scent, code-named Madison, via Carlson & Partners, New York, according to executives attending the Cosmetic, Toiletry & Fragrance Assn. meeting here. Lauren will face a crowded field of new brands, including the more than $20 million launch of a new Elizabeth Arden-brand fragrance with more than 25 million scent strips. Arden is handled in-house. Coty has signed a licensing deal with Esprit for fragrances to be sold in department stores.

Pepsi kicks off `twisted' effort for Orange Slice

[somers, n.y.] Pepsi-Cola Co. is slated to break a new campaign for its Orange Slice brand April 1 on cable TV with creative from Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, San Francisco. The push is targeted at 12-to-34-year-olds. Creative uses a "twisted" theme, showing kids doing things like trying to fry bugs with a magnifying glass. Spending could not be determined.

Scudder Kemper narrows review to 4 shops

[boston] Scudder Kemper Investments has cut its $15 million to $20 million review to incumbent Saatchi & Saatchi, Toronto; Impact Communications, Chicago; and Gotham and Grey Advertising, both New York, according to agency executives. A decision is expected later this month. Pile & Co., Boston, is the consultant.

[new york] Six advertisers have reportedly purchased time in the final episode of "Seinfeld" to be broadcast May 14: Anheuser-Busch, Adolph Coors Co. (two spots), Fuji Photo Film USA, MasterCard International, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Warner Bros. Average price per spot is close to $1.8 million, said executives with knowledge of the deals. A few marketers, including General Motors Corp., are believed to have told NBC that they will buy time in the show if the network drops the price to $1.5 million.

Silicon Graphics $40 mil review down to 2

[san jose, calif.] Silicon Graphics this week is expected to choose between Arnold Communications, Boston, and McCann-Erickson Worldwide, San Francisco, to handle its estimated $30 million to $40 million new account to launch a line of Windows NT computers. Silicon Graphics dropped CKS Silicon Valley, Cupertino, Calif., and Grey Advertising, Los Angeles. CKS retains the estimated $20 million corporate account. Markman Associates, Mountain View, is the consultant.

Leonard/Monahan shop shuttered

[providence, r.i.] After several key account and executive losses, Leonard/Monahan has closed. The most notable recent loss was the agency's Polaroid Business Imaging Division and Polaroid Technical & Industrial Imaging accounts to Holland Mark Martin, Boston. "That was a big part of our revenue stream," said Chairman-CEO Bruce Leonard. Mr. Leonard will become a consultant at design firm LBC. "We've had an amazing track record of good work ... and some wonderful people. It's sad to see it go," he said. The agency had a staff of 25.

Stroh cutting '98 ad spend; Old Milwaukee unaffected

[detroit] Stroh Brewery Co. is preparing to sharply cut ad spending in 1998 after doubling it in 1997 over the previous year. The brewer plans to continue its national effort behind Old Milwaukee, but other brands are expected to see major reductions. During the first nine months of '97, ad spending was $14 million, according to Competitive Media Reporting. The brewer had no comment.

GM mulling cost-cutting measures for TV production

[detroit] General Motors Corp., seeking cost-efficiencies, may sign deals with directors or animation houses for TV commercials for several of its car divisions. Philip Guarascio, VP-general manager of marketing and advertising at GM's North American Operations, said divisions may also band together to buy film to get the best deal. He added GM's new Agency Production Council isn't the precursor of a centralized production unit.

FDA launches first anti-tobacco ads with $7.5 mil campaign

[washington] The Food & Drug Administration broke its first advertising warning that storekeepers face fines for selling tobacco to minors. The $7.5 million campaign will initially run in Little Rock, Ark., and then gradually expand nationally. It includes outdoor boards, print, radio and point-of-purchase and is aimed both at the stores and the minors. Arnold Communications, Boston, handles.

WNET, Cablevision team for content, ad sales on new channel

[new york] WNET, the flagship TV station of the Public Broadcasting Service here, has struck a deal to air a six-hour programming block on a new local channel on Cablevision Systems Corp., based in Woodbury, New York. Corporate support announcements will be sold by Cable vision. WNET has had talks about a similar deal with Time Warner Cable.

F.Y.I.

William Egan, franchise group chairman-consumer products worldwide, Johnson & Johnson, Skillman, N.J., last week was elected chairman of the Cosmetic, Toiletry & Fragrance Assn. ... Cherie Crane to senior VP-media, Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, Culver City, Calif., from senior partner and media director, Ogilvy & Mather, Los Angeles. She succeeds John Butkovich, who left the company. ... Cendant Corp.'s Knowledge Adventure, Glendale, Calif., named McCann-Erickson Worldwide, Los Angeles, first agency for its $2 million to $3 million JumpStart educational software. Select Resources International, West Hollywood, Calif., was consultant. ... Fast Company, the 205,000 rate base every-other-monthly published by U.S. News & World Report, will become a monthly beginning with the August issue.